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A Wisconsin appellate court has denied a request from the state’s Democratic attorney general to block billionaire Elon Musk from distributing $1 million checks to two voters at a rally scheduled for Sunday. The decision comes just two days before a high-stakes Wisconsin Supreme Court election, which has drawn unprecedented spending and political scrutiny.
A High-Stakes Judicial Election
The race for Wisconsin’s Supreme Court has turned into a political battleground, with both parties pouring significant resources into their preferred candidates. Musk, alongside former President Donald Trump, is backing Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel. Meanwhile, Democrats, bolstered by megadonors like George Soros, support Dane County Judge Susan Crawford. The outcome of the election could shift the ideological balance of the court, which currently holds a 4-3 liberal majority but is at risk of flipping due to an upcoming retirement.
Musk has already committed over $20 million to the race through organizations he funds. His controversial financial involvement has sparked legal challenges, particularly from Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, who argues that Musk’s offer violates state laws prohibiting financial inducements related to voting.
Legal Challenges and Court Rulings
Kaul initially filed a lawsuit on Friday, asserting that Musk’s plan to award $1 million each to two Wisconsin voters for signing an online petition against “activist” judges breaches state election laws. Additionally, Musk is offering $100 to anyone who signs the petition, a tactic he has used previously. On Saturday, Kaul escalated the matter to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals after a county judge declined to issue an emergency injunction against the payments.
Kaul contends that Musk’s actions amount to a felony under Wisconsin law, which forbids giving voters anything of value in exchange for voting. However, Musk’s political action committee has employed similar strategies in past elections without legal repercussions. In a comparable case last year, a Pennsylvania judge ruled that prosecutors failed to demonstrate that Musk’s initiative—offering $1 million per day to voters in battleground states—constituted an illegal lottery, thereby allowing it to continue.
Potential Impact on Future Elections
Beyond the immediate legal battle, the Wisconsin Supreme Court election holds significant implications for the state’s political landscape. The court is poised to make rulings on abortion rights, congressional redistricting, union power, and election laws that could influence both the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential election.
Musk’s involvement has only intensified the political tension. Initially, he announced on his social media platform, X, that he would “personally hand over” $2 million to two voters who had already cast their ballots. Although the post was later deleted, Kaul argues that there has been no official statement indicating the payments will not proceed. As a result, he has urged the courts to prevent Musk from making any further financial offers to Wisconsin voters.
With the election set to conclude on Tuesday, the controversy surrounding Musk’s financial influence continues to fuel legal and political debates, setting a precedent for how billionaires may engage in future electoral processes.
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